The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-21
Street-Car Drivers Inaugurate Strike
on Demand for Higher Wages.
They Refuse to Perform the Duty of Conduct
ors Without Extra Pay, and Ask the
Public to Sustain Them.
The Running of Cars Suspended Last
Night and During a Part of the Day.
Places from the Cars-The knights of
Labor Asked to Indorse the Strike.

Street-car travel was disturbed yesterday by
the strike of seventy drivers on various lines.
The difficulty arises directly out of the recent
ordinance compelling drivers to call the names
of streets, but remotely the men trace their
grievances to certain rules of the company that
places upon them burdens which they claim
they ought not to bear. question of increased
wages. also enters into the trouble. but this it
seems, is based principally upon Colonel John
sons refusal to employ conductors. The men
say if they are required to do the work of con-
ductors. as well drivers, their pay ought to be
advanced. but this Colonel johnson is not will
ing to concede. Last Thursday he received a
notice that the ordinance recurring the calling
OF the names of streets was to be enforced. In
keeping with its commands he issued an order
to have the drivers obey it. They demurred,
and some of them, in the hope of having the
question OF the employment of conductors
tested in court, violated the ordinance and were
arrested and fined a nominal sum- with
the adrnonition that if they persisted
in not calling the names of streets
they would, on their temperance in his
court be fined the largest sum possible. In the
meantime Superintendent Travis told Colonel
johnson if the spirit of the ordinance was OBJ
served it would be enough. and upon this the
drivers were relieved of calling streets between
Ohio and South and Tennessee and Alabama
But this did not satisfy the protesting drivers who
said that if the ordinance could be suspended in
this part of the city it ought to be in all 1t is
understood that Col johnson was unwilling to
accede to this proposition and renewed his order
to have all streets called. except in the location
mentioned, with warning that those who DISC
beyed it would be discharged. Colonel johnson
said yesterday that the calling of the names Of
streets was useless. ''It has been tried several
times and always failed" he continued 1.-THE
last effort was made in 1880. During the winter
the passengers objected strongly to it. as the
driver, at every square, had to open the door.
thereby letting in the cold air The only time
when the calling of streets is serviceaole is a
dark or stormy night"
It appeared to the that. while Colonel
johnson willing to have an ordinance en-
forced that ne thought useless, he was unwilling
to provide conductors to lessen their labors.
Hence they say that if the labor is not to be re-
duced they ought to have increased pay. Driv-
ers are paid IA cents an hour, and the seventy
strikers represented signing demand for
20 cents. But relative to this, Colonel johnson
claims that at Tuesday nights meeting of this
men, when, it is said, the demand was voted for
by all of the seventy, the decision at first
ferred to peritioning Council repeal the ordi-
nance requiring the names of streets to be called
'This did not satisfy a portion of the drivers"
said Colonel Johnson .'The dissatisfied men
held another meeting that night and agreed to
demand an increase of pay TO 20 cents hour.
This demand, with seventy names, was submit
ted to me Wednesday. 1t appeared to me that
the greater part. of these
written by the I understand
from some whose names are on the petition that
they did not sign it. However, was given until
Thursday to decide. l told the men that was
as ready then to give them answer as would
be Thursday But the form was observed, and
they received my answer yesterday, that there
would be no increase of pay, and further. that
they were expected to obey my orders in regard
to calling the streets"
Thursday evening the men again met the
number being. according to the striking drivers,
seventy, and from other statements not that
many. Yet the strike was ordered. and yesrer-
day morning seventy cars on various lines were
without drivers. The emergency met by
officers of the company taking the places of some
of the drivers, while men once employed in that
capacity we're again received. But the
all of the lines except that of Blake street at
uncertain periods. Every hour. though, addi-
tional cars were put on, and late in the
afternoon forty-six were running, of this
sixty five daily used. The time between cars
was gradually reduced from a half hour to eight
minutes. The Blake and Nobe-street lire
o'clock in the morning some fears were also
pressed as this line. but Superintendent Travis
told Colonel johnson to have the cars sent out,
and he would see that policeman met each one
at Washington street. But no Interruption
Cured, and the cars made their trips regularly.
On the West Washington-str Stockyard. the
McCarty, Mississippi, South Meridian street
and Irvington lines no cars were run, except in
the early evening. when two were sent out on the
latter route During the day the strikers tried
to pursuade the drivers TO quit, but to pur-
Az
any force through this means, some of
the strikers it is seid by Colonel Johnson
and others connected with the management of
the company, offered to resume their places if
they could be assured protection. Eight men
were restored at once but others, it was repre-
sented did not care about taking out cars until
this morning But Notwithstanding these signs
of weakness among the strikers Colonel johnson
and his officers had to meet the fact that their
arrangements were seriously threatened, for out
of a list of $50 drivers they had to supply the
places of seventy. This number was made up
of the twenty drivers at the West Washington
street stables, the fifteen more on College ave-
nue and ouehalf of the seventy drivers at the
Louisiana street stables going out All of the
drivers at the West-street stables remained at
work except one who was lately given a
No exciting incident occurred except the
Virginia avenue line and at the Bates House
corner A car moving down Virginia avenue
was stopped, when three of the strikers pulled
the driver from the platform. The car was left
standing until the foreman sent a man to drive
il into the stable. Shortly after this another
driver was served N like manner near the same
spot: but by this time the police nterfered and
arrested three of the strkers-Sluhers. Ginger
and Wilson. An hour later Beech Lowe was
dragged from his car near the Bates House and
met with an injury his hand and He
returned afterwards to the stable and resumed
work, as did Peter Smith. who twice pulled
from the platform Of his car. But these disturb
ances were caused by the more fractions strikers.
who, meeting with but little sympathy from
the others. and not desiring to press the police
too closely, sooE retired from the field A
striker at the Louisiana-street stables became so
excited ia his sxhortations for everybody TO
quit work that ne tainted. Colonei johnson had
him brongh. into his office and afterwards sent
him home In hack This man was an excep-
ton, for the Others were cool and talked about
the strike and its causes quietly, but with de-
termination to hold out until some settlement
better than they had before was reached.
At the knights of Labor Hall, on East Wash
incton street. the strikers met about III o'clock
vastardav morning and adopted resolutions TO